I like the idea that Malcolm Gladwell shares in “Outliers” about having 3 semesters to account for the gap in age for both boys and girls. I was born the week before Thanksgiving in Wi. Initially I was held back a 1/2 year. Then at the start of 3rd grade schools changed to a full year grouping which began in September after Labor Day. My parents were told that they had to make a decision: to be held back another semester, or complete 3rd grade in one semester. I begged my parents to let me move on and I did. Yet it was not without a hardship. With 3 younger brothers, a sick mom, i was determined to move ahead and not drop into my brother’s class. I had difficulty yet made it then our mom died at the end of 4th grade and I became the mother of my brothers. With all the stress I barely made it through grade school and high school. A science teacher in my sophomore year inspired me in a class he taught called Science Seminar. I went on to become an LPN then a RN. Two of my brothers did well in school and all of did well post school with jobs and family. Inspiring teachers assisted us in knowing we were more than what our circumstances. 🌹
I recently began listening to Malcom Gladwell’s Outliers as I drive around town. Read that book years ago when it came out. And it is still relevant. Then, my husband began sharing the contents of this book, “Of Boys and Men’. in which the author shares Malcom’s idea about boys waiting out a school year. All of a sudden my husband and I are talking about the same thing reading different books!!! Of course I am reading this book now and enjoying it. We are aware of what’s going on and wish to be a part of the solution!!! 🌹
Race does matter and so does class but in some areas it does not. Stanford University's CEPA reporting for 2019 shows Gender gaps in literacy ACROSS economic substrates. These are shocking results which we need to do much more specific research into in order to support boys.
I know the data on college readiness for boys. It wasn't really my point. My point was that race and ethnicity and poverty explain certain critical differences in learning with boys in school versus other boys, but it doesn't explain everything. Literacy with boys is particularly problematic because it does not show patterns which overlap with zip code or school quality. Also, boys have held the bottom 26% in the US in terms of PISA scores in math as opposed to girls but no one wants to talk about it because it doesn't fit into easily packaged gender narratives that "boys are just better at math." As an educator, college readiness is not the data that is particularly resonate with me.
Thanks Jason. I guess I see college readiness as a byproduct of K-12. But thanks for continuing the conversation. Yes, boys struggling does not fit the social narrative. Poverty plays a big role in all of this, as does pedagogy. I taught too, working with struggling readers and co-teaching with reading specialists. Phonics was the number one thing I noticed with struggling readers, who often skip every few words if they cannot pronounce them. I remember teaching grammar as a way to improve reading comprehension. And, it worked. Keep the faith, Jason, and keep caring.
it cost my wife and I $60,000 in specialty school tuition and tutors to get our moderately dyslexic, ADHD child up to grade level in reading first, then all subjects. It worked, but the cost is beyond the reach of 95% of parents. It's sickening that overcoming these genetic challenges has become a matter of a) parents' educational attainment and b) class more broadly. We should be ashamed as a nation.
Wow! You have opened my eyes, Richard, about some trends I had not known regarding present day education.
I have glanced at ill designed graphics and seen news programs that tell us about how much academic achievement delayed grade school and high school performance during the Covid lockdowns.
Early on in my schooling I had learned that girls were at least one year more advanced when it came to socialization and language. Any man who is married will attest to the fact that women are more voluble than men.
I suspect there will be no easy solutions to bringing boys closer to the academic achievements of girls.
So much of what you discussed here is not caused merely by the fact that boys start school with at least a one year behind girls due simply to the norms of biology. Boys are not as prone to calmly sitting. They are far more boisterous than girls, where as girls mature far faster than boys in terms of social and language skills.
I look forward, Richard, to reading more of your essays.
Kudos to Brookings, the first of many think tanks, we can hope, to recognize the gender issues of men and boys as a monumentally progressive cause. (Let's also hope there are philanthropies to follow in this recognition.)
I like the idea that Malcolm Gladwell shares in “Outliers” about having 3 semesters to account for the gap in age for both boys and girls. I was born the week before Thanksgiving in Wi. Initially I was held back a 1/2 year. Then at the start of 3rd grade schools changed to a full year grouping which began in September after Labor Day. My parents were told that they had to make a decision: to be held back another semester, or complete 3rd grade in one semester. I begged my parents to let me move on and I did. Yet it was not without a hardship. With 3 younger brothers, a sick mom, i was determined to move ahead and not drop into my brother’s class. I had difficulty yet made it then our mom died at the end of 4th grade and I became the mother of my brothers. With all the stress I barely made it through grade school and high school. A science teacher in my sophomore year inspired me in a class he taught called Science Seminar. I went on to become an LPN then a RN. Two of my brothers did well in school and all of did well post school with jobs and family. Inspiring teachers assisted us in knowing we were more than what our circumstances. 🌹
I recently began listening to Malcom Gladwell’s Outliers as I drive around town. Read that book years ago when it came out. And it is still relevant. Then, my husband began sharing the contents of this book, “Of Boys and Men’. in which the author shares Malcom’s idea about boys waiting out a school year. All of a sudden my husband and I are talking about the same thing reading different books!!! Of course I am reading this book now and enjoying it. We are aware of what’s going on and wish to be a part of the solution!!! 🌹
Race does matter and so does class but in some areas it does not. Stanford University's CEPA reporting for 2019 shows Gender gaps in literacy ACROSS economic substrates. These are shocking results which we need to do much more specific research into in order to support boys.
Jason, boys of all races are behind their female counterparts of the same race in meeting college readiness standards. After looking at 2 million CA results from 2016-2020, it was clear. Take a look at Table 1 (in red) at the bottom of this article (https://www.gibm.us/news/the-intersectionality-of-race-and-gender-in-pusd-and-california-schools).
Hi Sean:
I know the data on college readiness for boys. It wasn't really my point. My point was that race and ethnicity and poverty explain certain critical differences in learning with boys in school versus other boys, but it doesn't explain everything. Literacy with boys is particularly problematic because it does not show patterns which overlap with zip code or school quality. Also, boys have held the bottom 26% in the US in terms of PISA scores in math as opposed to girls but no one wants to talk about it because it doesn't fit into easily packaged gender narratives that "boys are just better at math." As an educator, college readiness is not the data that is particularly resonate with me.
Thanks Jason. I guess I see college readiness as a byproduct of K-12. But thanks for continuing the conversation. Yes, boys struggling does not fit the social narrative. Poverty plays a big role in all of this, as does pedagogy. I taught too, working with struggling readers and co-teaching with reading specialists. Phonics was the number one thing I noticed with struggling readers, who often skip every few words if they cannot pronounce them. I remember teaching grammar as a way to improve reading comprehension. And, it worked. Keep the faith, Jason, and keep caring.
it cost my wife and I $60,000 in specialty school tuition and tutors to get our moderately dyslexic, ADHD child up to grade level in reading first, then all subjects. It worked, but the cost is beyond the reach of 95% of parents. It's sickening that overcoming these genetic challenges has become a matter of a) parents' educational attainment and b) class more broadly. We should be ashamed as a nation.
Nice article. Another interesting question might be “While the gap is indeed increasing, is the overall achievement decreasing for both genders?”
Wow! You have opened my eyes, Richard, about some trends I had not known regarding present day education.
I have glanced at ill designed graphics and seen news programs that tell us about how much academic achievement delayed grade school and high school performance during the Covid lockdowns.
Early on in my schooling I had learned that girls were at least one year more advanced when it came to socialization and language. Any man who is married will attest to the fact that women are more voluble than men.
I suspect there will be no easy solutions to bringing boys closer to the academic achievements of girls.
So much of what you discussed here is not caused merely by the fact that boys start school with at least a one year behind girls due simply to the norms of biology. Boys are not as prone to calmly sitting. They are far more boisterous than girls, where as girls mature far faster than boys in terms of social and language skills.
I look forward, Richard, to reading more of your essays.
Kudos to Brookings, the first of many think tanks, we can hope, to recognize the gender issues of men and boys as a monumentally progressive cause. (Let's also hope there are philanthropies to follow in this recognition.)